5 Bad Fashion Trends That Need to Go Away

Trends: Can’t live with them, can’t live without them. While any avid runway expert knows that trends are only a suggestion for what you should wear in the months ahead, they do succeed in pushing one’s boundaries, sartorially speaking, and even offering new ways to style your ensemble. “Why wear that flannel regularly when I could totally wrap the shirt around my waist and look like an Ovadia & Sons model?” you may have thought to yourself. However, there’s always the awkward moment when a truly awful trend attracts the likes of top influencers and you suddenly find yourself surrounded by a sea of Ed Hardy hats (you can thank 2002 for that faux pas).

And no matter how much older, wiser, and sophisticated we become, there’s always a slew of trends that need to be wiped from everyone’s memory —Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind style, naturally. To get the wheels turning, here are five trends we are praying will never grace our Instagram feed, runways, or favorite magazine again.

1. Newsboy hats

Man reading a paper | iStock.com

Did you time travel to 2017 from the early 1900s, when there were actually a paper boys? If you’ve answered no, do us — but really, we mean yourself — a favor and say goodbye to that newsboy cap. Look, we totally support giving your ensemble the extra oomph with a stylish topper, but why choose such an archaic option? You may think that you’re successfully paying homage to your old soul, but this fad actually reads as trying too hard or costumey. Instead, try your luck with a fedora or derby hat: Both styles also posses old school charm without being too literal.

2. Layered shorts

Woman wearing shorts over tights | iStock.com/ladyana89

Exercise enthusiasts, we totally understand why you’d slip a pair of running tights underneath some baggy shorts: No fashion statement is worth frostbite. But what we don’t like is when this combination makes its way from the running lane to the runway. Over the past few years, virtually every brand from Dries Van Noten, to Michael Bastian have coupled airy shorts with a matching pair of foot-less tights. And, just like every trend, the phenomenon has trickled its way down to the everyman. Please, for the love of the fashion gods, burn those tights and just leave those shorts for the warmer days. Layering is a great way to stay warm while looking stylish, but this mix is more sloppy, not to mention confusing.

3. Lacey shirts

Organized closet | iStock.com

In womenswear, wearing lace can be a hit or miss, and a female trendsetter always risks looking like a dowdy window treatment. For menswear? Lace is rarely acceptable. And lo, shirts in the typically feminine textile were seen on the runways at Burberry, Gucci, and Moschino. We don’t care what the designers say: This fad needs to go, stat. Seriously, when would any normal guy wear a lacy top? On a first date? To a job interview? Nope, so got to go.

4. Clear optical rims

Man wearing glasses smiling | iStock.com

Gone are the days when guys are sartorial pariahs for being cursed with a poor vision. Now, glasses are actually a great way to elevate your ensemble. And while we’re always looking for a new alternative to the ubiquitous tortoise horn-rim model, we can’t say that transparent frames fit the bill. Some may think this transparent alternative is the hipster’s answer to finding obscure frames, but the truth is that it looks like you’re trying to hide the fact that you’re wearing glasses at all (but totally failed). That’s what contacts are for. Instead, stand out amongst the crowd with an offbeat pair of wire glasses. Trust us, you’ll look like a cool tastemaker in a thinner silhouette.

5. Hawaiian-printed shirts

Hawaiian landscape | iStock.com

Before Miuccia Prada unveiled an array of Hawaiian-printed shirts in her spring 2014 men’s collection, they were about as outdated as Tom Selleck in Magnum PI or Elvis in Blue Hawaii. But after the collection, the top was everywhere: on bloggers, editors, and even Harry Styles. We beg of you, dear reader, please resist the trend. Unless you’re jetting off to an island getaway, this trend reads more tacky than stylish. And even if you’re in the midst of a beachy vacation, the shirt still reads kitschy and forced. A complete lose-lose situation, so let’s kick this trend to the curb, shall we?